Peugeot Sport reveals the New 2012 RCZ competition car

The circuit of Albi was the focus yesterday for the world premiere of Peugeot Sport’s new production-car competition model. The RCZ Peugeot Sport adds to, rather than replaces, any of Peugeot Sport’s existing competition models (206, 207 or Spider) and will compete primarily within the one-make RCZ Racing Cup in 2012.

“We wanted to make a ‘real’ race car for racers,” said Frédéric Bertrand, Head of Customer Competition at Peugeot Sport, “It is intended for customers of all ages, from all walks of life, it is in fact a ‘no-limit’ race car.”

It’s engine, derived from the production RCZ, is 1.6-litre 4-cylinder unit generating 246 bhp and 290 Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox specifically designed for racing. All engines are sealed to ensure equal performance among competitors and the powertrain is designed to compete for a full season without need for a rebuild.

The RCZ’s running gear is uprated with shock absorbers developed by Peugeot Sport. With discs of 355 mm clamped by six-piston front callipers, the RCZ Sport’s braking system deftly combines both performance and durability for endurance events. Setup can be fully adjusted and the in-built data acquisition system enables teams to adapt the RCZ Peugeot Sport to different driving styles.

Peugeot are pricing the RCZ at € 54 900 in France (the equivalent of around £48,500) but within that price is a 3000 km warranty. For more information, take a look at the Peugeot Sport website http://rcz.peugeot-sport.com